SPORTS OF THE TIMES

SPORTS OF THE TIMES; The Question Al Bianchi Hates to Hear

By Dave Anderson

Published: May 3, 1990

While the Knicks struggled to earn a reprieve last night in the National Basketball Association playoffs, their general manager, Al Bianchi, struggled to comprehend why anybody would wonder if his contract would be renewed for next season.

''I'm almost shocked at that question,'' Bianchi was saying now. ''It's almost embarrassing to have to answer that question. When people bring that up, I think, 'Are you guys blind? Haven't you seen what's happened here in three years.' ''

What's happened in three years, of course, is that under Bianchi's guidance, the Knicks quickly progressed to respectability, but now have suddenly regressed to mediocrity.

Despite their determined 102-99 victory over the Celtics at Madison Square Garden last night after having lost the first two games at Boston in the three-of-five-game opening round of the series, the Knicks still resembled the team that had ended the regular season with 21 defeats in their final 30 games. For all their upgraded talent, these Knicks haven't played that much better in recent weeks than the ragtag roster Bianchi inherited three years ago after a 24-58 season.

But with the expectations for these Knicks after a 52-30 first-place finish a year ago, the disappointment of their recent slide has understandably created the question Bianchi hates to hear.

For what Bianchi did in reorganizing the Knicks, he deserves to be rehired. But for what has happened lately, the Garden hierarchy deserves to know what structural changes he will make. Certainly on the roster. Perhaps on the coaching staff.

For now, at least, Bianchi has blueprinted Maurice Cheeks and Kiki Vandeweghe as starters next season along with Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and Gerald Wilkins.

Even if the Knicks were to make a run at the title with those five starters, the age of Cheeks and Vandeweghe would make it a one-shot opportunity.

Hardly the solid foundation of a perennial title contender. But maybe Bianchi has another deal in mind.

''My feeling,'' he said, ''is we can add another good player to this team.''

Two or three good players would be more like it. Two or three who know how to play basketball, who know how to think, who know how to pass and play tenacious defense. As it is, too many of the Knicks seem to only know how to shoot and how to check the stat sheet.

''We're not one of the better-thinking teams,'' Bianchi acknowledged. ''They have to start thinking.''

Getting players to think is the coach's responsibility. If retained, Stu Jackson is too smart not to have learned many lessons from his first season as a head coach anywhere. And if Bianchi is rehired, he intends to retain Jackson as the coach.

''I have no thoughts about changing,'' Bianchi said Tuesday.

If the Garden hierarchy were to disagree, or if the Knicks were to get off slowly next season, Bianchi might be forced to turn to John MacLeod, his first choice after Rick Pitino departed for Kentucky after last year's second-round playoff loss. At the time, MacLeod decided to remain as the coach of the Dallas Mavaricks, only to be dismissed early in the recent season.

MacLeod, once the coach of the Phoenix Suns when Bianchi was his assistant coach, is still at liberty.

''We knew we'd take a step back this season in trying to develop a half-court game,'' Bianchi said. ''When I say half-court, most people think of offense, but I mean half-court defense, too. That's how you win championships.

''The two teams in the N.C.A.A. final were half-court defensive teams. Bobby Knight won all those N.C.A.A. titles with half-court defensive teams. And that's why the Pistons, the Lakers and the Celtics have won in our league.''

To some people, the Knicks' turning point this season involved the trade of Rod Strickland to the San Antonio Spurs for Cheeks, who has now supplanted a confused Mark Jackson.

''The chemistry was terrible; we had to make a decision at the trading deadline,'' Bianchi said, meaning himself and the coaching staff. ''Neither one of our point guards was playing well. We decided that if we went into the playoffs with what we had at point guard, we'll get beat, so let's change it.''

But since Strickland's departure, Mark Jackson has been unable to regain his poise and his confidence.

''I think Mark can come back,'' Bianchi said. ''He was playing on a keg of dynamite. We tried to take the pressure off him.''

But will the Knicks come back to be a contender? That's the essence of the question Al Bianchi hates to hear.